Q I'm not playing that game. If there's a flying saucer, it's
going on the wire, man. (Laughter.)

MR. McCLELLAN: Good morning. The President had his usual
briefings before we departed Phoenix. The Freedom Corps greeter is Amy
Coppin. She's a cadet at New Mexico Military Institute, in her senior
year, who is an active volunteer. She participates in a variety of
service programs each semester, helping children from -- such service
activities as helping children with reading to working with the Red
Cross to working with the Boys and Girls Club.

The President will, upon arrival, place a phone call to the March
for Life participants back in Washington, D.C.

Q Has he done that every year?

MR. McCLELLAN: Yes. Where he will talk about building a lasting
culture of life and talk about the progress we're making to build a
culture of life in America. And we will get you the transcripts from
that call, it's an open press event, so it'll be heard back in
Washington, D.C.

Then the President looks forward to making remarks to -- there will
be about 1,600 people present today for his remarks on the war on
terrorism, that will include cadets from the New Mexico Military
Institute, it will include local law enforcement and first responders
and community leaders, as well. And the President will talk about the
progress that we're making in the war on terrorism. He will talk about
how his greatest responsibility is protecting the American people --
some of what you heard the other night. And he will talk about how
we're making some important progress, but the danger is still there and
we must continue to press on in the war on terror.

I also expect that he will talk about the commitment that we are
making to protect the homeland and touch on the significant resources
we are committing to that effort.

Q Patriot Act?

MR. McCLELLAN: Yes, I expect he will touch on that, as well.
That provides some important tools --

Q On what?

MR. McCLELLAN: Patriot Act. That provides some important tools
for law enforcement to help prevent attacks from happening in the first
place.

MR. McCLELLAN: I expect he will touch on the '05 budget for our
homeland security efforts, and we will have a fact sheet for you all
that will provide some information on that, as well as information on
the war on terrorism.

As you all are aware, Special Presidential Envoy Baker yesterday
concluded his most recent trip to discuss the importance of reducing
Iraq's debt burden with countries in the Middle East. The discussions
were very productive. He had discussions with leaders in Saudi Arabia,
Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar.

The President appreciates the positive response of all four
countries and their continued commitment to the successful
reconstruction of Iraq. All countries agreed on the need for
substantial debt reduction and that it should happen this year. They
all agree to begin negotiations on specific amounts quickly. They
agreed that debt reduction is key to helping the Iraqi people build a
free and peaceful and prosperous future.

And Special Envoy Baker also met with Iraqi representatives,
including the finance minister and the central bank governor, to update
them on his trips to Europe and Asia, and talk about the progress we're
making on debt reduction. As you all recall, he has previously gone to
Europe and Asia, in addition to the Middle East. And most countries
now agree that debt reduction is key to the successful reconstruction
of Iraq for the Iraqi people, and that it should be substantial and
that it should happen this year.

On Monday, the President will travel to Little Rock, Arkansas,
where he will participate in a roundtable with doctors and patients and
then make remarks on the importance of passing medical liability
reform, before he returns to the White House that afternoon.

MR. McCLELLAN: I'd have to double-check that, Steve. His work
continues. Obviously, we now need to move forward on the negotiations
about the specific amounts. As I said, most countries have agreed to
substantially reduce the debt for Iraq as we move forward on building a
free and peaceful and prosperous Iraq.

Q Scott, on homeland security, I realize you put out the budget
figure today and we're eager to see that, but this is going to be a big
campaign issue this year because Democrats, as you know, say that this
administration has under-funded homeland security across the country,
while at the same time taking credit for, you know, hardening America's
targets to terrorists. How do you respond to that?

MR. McCLELLAN: Well, first of all, I would point back to what I
said a minute ago and what the President said in his State of the Union
and has consistently said, his number one responsibility is to protect
the American people. And the best way to win the war on terrorism is
to stay on the offensive and take the fight to the enemy.

And that's exactly what we are doing. We are removing threats
before it's too late, by the actions that we are taking. It is also
important to make sure we are doing everything we can to protect the
American people at home and secure the homeland. And we have committed
significant resources to that effort. And the President will talk
about how we will -- how we are going to continue committing
significant resources to those efforts in our '05 budget proposal.

I would point out that, in terms of what we have already provided
since 2001 to help state and local governments prepare for -- prepare
for and prevent terrorist attacks: we have provided more than $13
billion to help state and local governments, which will help -- which
is helping state and local first responders and emergency medical
providers.

So we are providing significant resources to the home front. But
the best way to win this war is to take the fight to the enemy, and
that's exactly what this President is doing.

Q That's fine, but is that enough? I mean, Democrats say it's
not enough, not in an era when we've got to raise threat alert, or
there's so much more responsibility on local law enforcement to protect
the country.

MR. McCLELLAN: Well, it's important that those -- that the
significant resources that we are providing are focused on where they
are most needed, too. And that's what we're committed to doing, as
well. But, absolutely, we are doing everything we can to secure the
homeland, but there is much that remains to be done. And we will
continue to press on and build upon the efforts and progress that we
are making.

Q Scott, the increases that --

Q -- speaking for him believe that, you know, together, the
criticism of taking action of Iraq, the criticism of extending the
Patriot Act? Do all these things amount to -- would you say that that
amounts to returning -- not taking -- not protecting the country
adequately, not fulfilling that responsibility?

MR. McCLELLAN: Well, I think you bring up something that he
pointed out in his State of the Union, there is a clear choice. We are
at historic period in our history. There are big challenges that we
face. And first and foremost, it's -- that is winning the war on
terrorism. And this President is acting decisively to win the war on
terrorism by the actions that we are taking. And the choice is clear.
We can continue building upon the important progress we are making to
make the world safer and better and make America more secure, or we can
turn back. The efforts that we are undertaking are about protecting
the American people.

Q And turn back would be going back to when it was treated as a
law enforcement issue and --

MR. McCLELLAN: Well, that's one that -- as we discussed yesterday,
I think, that there are some that, as the President pointed out in his
State of the Union, think that by serving legal papers, we can do what
is needed. The President disagrees. The President believes very
strongly that we must stay on the offensive, that we must take the
fight to the enemy in order to win this war.

Q Scott, the budget figures he's going to be announcing today,
will that include money for new programs or for greater funding for
programs that already exist?

MR. McCLELLAN: Well, we'll get -- obviously, we're going to have a
fact sheet coming out shortly. There are some increases in a variety
of areas -- for counter-terrorism efforts at home, to mention one.
This will all be in the fact sheet, and we're going to have a budget
briefing for more detail here in a couple of weeks, less than a couple
of weeks. So we'll get into it some more then.

Q How does Baker brief the President, number one? And, number
two, what does Iraq owe us, and have we committed to reduce that debt?

MR. McCLELLAN: Well, in the past, he has received both briefings
over the phone and in person from Secretary Baker. We'll keep you
posted, obviously, on the President's schedule and any briefings that
Secretary Baker provides to him. So I'll keep you posted on that
matter.

Your second question was --

Q What is Iraq's debt to the United States?

MR. McCLELLAN: Just like other countries, we recognize the
importance of reducing Iraq's debt burden in order to help build a free
and peaceful future for the Iraqi people. And so, yes, we are --

Q What is that --

MR. McCLELLAN: I think the Treasury Department has that specific
number. I don't recall off the top of my head.

Q Billions?

MR. McCLELLAN: You would have to check with the Treasury
Department. They've got that -- kind of the estimate of that number.
But, yes, we are committed, along with other countries, to helping the
Iraqi people realize a bright and successful future.

Q The reason I ask is because you said Baker had met with some
Iraqi officials. I wonder whether he committed to them that America
would reduce Iraq's debt burden --

MR. McCLELLAN: Well, we've already said that we're committed to
reducing their debt burden. And the purpose of his meeting with the
Iraqi representatives was to brief them on his recent trips and the
commitments that other countries are making. So that was the purpose
of the trip.

Q Can I ask you just one more question on Baker? Is his job
now kind of done? Or is he the one who is going to be leading the
negotiations on specific figures?

MR. McCLELLAN: His work continues. He is the President's special
envoy on debt reduction. And so that work continues. His work
continues. Now we're entering a period where we'll be discussing
specific amounts of what constitutes substantial debt reduction.